A great experience is in store for you each Friday (January-March) orchestrated by Mary and Rick Guignon, activity directors for Casa Del Sol senior community in Donna. These weekly jams attract 30-40 talented musicians who take turns providing entertainment to the large audience of listeners. In addition, these jammers appreciate the stage band who uses their expansive musical talents to support each jammer.

Each jammer is introduced by the talented MC Darwin Beckman who starts each jam with the Pledge of Allegiance and ends the jam with God Bless America. The sound system for this large ballroom is fine-tuned by the sound engineers Jack Dufour and Ligue Wisdom.

At the January 13th jam, the jammers that played that night were Al Cully, Bob Chafton, Bunnie, Bettie, Cindy Dixon, Rodney Crouse, Ed Black, Jerry Davis, Sharon Eikleberry, Richard Daniels, Bill Davis, Sandy Grady, Charles Hrnicek, Jane Heinen, Wes Jansson, Mike Lane, Judy O’Hair, Conra Marsh, Bob Powell, Sheri Pieffer, Gary Rene, Ronnie, Larry Sisk, Jim Stiles, Renie T, Betty Thomas, Wayne Teeple, Pam Willie, and Tom Zeker. Also appearing were guest stars Naomi Bristow and Dave Perryman.

The stage band is comprised of the following talented musicians: Peggy Brown, Steve Brown, Dale Eichor, Coleman Smith, George Simo (drums) and Gary Willie.
Dale Eichor from Iowa (guitar/bass/vocals) was motivated to pursue music when he was a teenager by his parents who were also musicians themselves. He is on stage at three jams each week. Dale was inducted into the Country DJ Hall of Fame in Nashville as he was a DJ and radio announcer for 60 years. He has performed with Faron Young, Crystal Gayle and Justin Trevino.

Coleman Smith is a self-taught musician from Kentucky who performs with steel guitar, Dobro, bass, mandolin, and guitar. He started his musical career at age 13, performing at age 16 thanks to the encouragement of his parents. He and his wife, who entertains with bass guitar, performed at four theaters for four years in Branson Missouri. He also performed for President Richard Nixon in 1971. He has also performed with Randy Travis, Christy Lane, Tim Hadler, Bryon White, and Vernon Oxford.

Gary Willie, from Iowa (lead guitar/vocal) was motivated by his father to follow music at age eight and began performing for the public at age 12. He performs in the RGV at five jams each week. He has performed with Johnny Cash, Marvin Rainwater, Wanda Jackson, Bobby Henkins, Johnny Rogers, Nat Shucke, and Cal Smith.

Steve Brown (bass/guitar) and his wife of 53 years, Peggy Brown (piano/vocals), started performing on stage thanks to the availability of the multitude of the Winter Texan jams in the RGV. They are both on stage together at Bit-O-Heaven Park and Casa Del Sol. Steve is also on stage at Alamo Palms and Leisure World parks while Peggy performs at Paradise Park and Pharr South.

Steve, a self-taught guitarist, started performing as a teenager with a local band. After retirement, he taught himself the bass guitar. He has made recordings and has performed with the Country Pickin’ band.

Peggy Brown was motivated by her father (a minister and church pastor) to pursue music. Her father, who could play any string instrument, taught Peggy piano starting at age 10 and began performing in church at age 11. She also performed together with her sister. Peggy performed in the Heaven Bound band and has made recordings and appeared on TV.

Casa Del Sol Park invites you to visit and enjoy the lunch that precedes each music jam. Then relax and listen to the sounds of country music from the 1950’s and later.